golden handcuffs

[ gohl-duhn hand-kuhfs ]

plural noun

1. incentives like bonuses, raises, insurance plans, and flexible hours that discourage employees from leaving a company:

   She wasn’t especially happy in her job, but the healthcare benefits were the golden handcuffs that kept her from looking elsewhere.

golden handcuffs

plural noun

1. informal.
   payments deferred over a number of years that induce a person to stay with a particular company or in a particular job

Word History and Origins

Origin of golden handcuffs¹

First recorded in 1985–90

Idioms and Phrases

Financial benefits that an employee will lose upon resigning, as in The company's presented all the middle managers with golden handcuffs, so they can't afford to leave . This slangy business expression dates from the 1970s.